CAPTION: West End parent Chiara Rhouate is behind the drive to bring a school to the area.

The bell is tolling louder for a new area school to be built as part of the Government Center Garage proposed project.
A growing group of area parents are gathering signatures and interest among parents in the West End, North End, Beacon Hill, and other area neighborhoods, whose two current regional schools are the Eliot and the Quincy. Because only a percentage of area kids can attend a local school, Boston schools create a lottery system. Another school would give area parents a better chance at attending a school within walking distance, they say.
The group, calling themselves The Coalition for Public Education: Expanding Quality Education for Downtown Neighborhoods, support the development of a new public elementary school facility as part of the proposed redevelopment of the Government Center Garage site. 
The letter requests support from Mayor Thomas Menino and the City Council.
“We are going to try and get it signed by as many groups and associations in the North End, West End, Beacon Hill, as we can,” said Chiara Rhouate, who is on the board of the West End Community Center.
The parents began talking about the new school in the West End’s play group and decided to become vocal about their needs.
The first meeting was a handful of parents, including Rhouate, Erin Brazil, Lori Glazer and Kelly Feely, with O’Brien serving in an advisory role.

Lori Glazer is the mother of a one year old and a toddler, who is thinking about where her kids will be going to school when they come of age. She talked with parents whose kids are in school, and she knows the challenges ahead. “People are always talking about public school and what are we going to be doing in our area,” she said. “We’re asking ourselves, ‘Is my daughter going to get into the school that’s closest to us, or will she be on the school bus for an hour, at 5 years old?’ Our zone includes Brighton. It’s not like they have to find the land; the land is there. Why not use it for another school, and ease a little bit of the stress on the system? With another school, it increases the chances of our kids going to a school that’s closer to us.”

A letter is going out this week to area groups and parents seeking support for a new school.
Supporters include newly elected West End Civic Association (WECA) President Duane Lucia, who will invite the coalition to the next WECA meeting to gain support. A WECA member will be on the Government Center Garage Impact Advisory Group. Rhouate has also received interest from the North End Waterfront Mothers Association.
In this part of Boston, the trend used to be that young professionals moved in only until it was time to have kids, and then they went to the suburbs. That trend is starting to change, with Boston becoming an attractive permanent home for many. But many parents are faced with daunting choices. Knowing that the mayor doesn’t want these families to leave, the parents’ group makes its appeal, saying in the letter, “In the absence of a good public school in our area, other than the excellent but relatively old and small Eliot School, many of us are faced with decisions that we should not have to make when our children reach school age. Should we send our children to public schools elsewhere in the city? Many do not. Should we consider private schools? Many cannot. Should we move to the suburbs? Many do.”
Such a proposal had been brought up before in community meetings regarding the garage, but is only slowly gaining traction.
The idea had previously been raised by Downtown North Association Executive Director Robert O’Brien, among other community leaders. The coalition’s work “is a notable vote of confidence in our public education system in Boston,” said O’Brien, who called the group’s letter “timely.” “All indications are that the Raymond Property Company, the principal owner/developer of the GCG site, would be prepared to pursue this community benefit option if and when it has the support of the Mayor and other elected and appointed officials.”
City Councilor Michael Ross said he would support any initiatives for bringing a school to the area, although one snag in any support for a school at the garage area may be affected by another proposal - to relocate the Boston Police there.
“The waiting lists at the Eliot and the Hurley schools are proof positive that downtown neighborhood families are considering public education. At a time when Boston public schools are declining in student enrollment, there’s an opportunity to pick up new students in downtown neighborhoods which have traditionally passed on public education in large part because there are not schools available nearby. The city made a critical mistake by not taking the opportunity 10 years ago to build a school on Beacon Hill at Brimmer Street, which is now a private school. I think the city needs to be on the lookout to correct that.”

For those residents looking for last-minute tax deductions, look no further than your local Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA), which is campaigning for its annual appeal through December 31.
The BHCA needs funds to stay successful, although it will certainly take donations in 2009, too.
Many have already snatched up tickets to the The BHCA's 37th annual black-tie Winter Dance, "Winter Carnival," February 7, 2009 at the Liberty Hotel. Yes, it's now being held on a Saturday night, which makes it easier for everyone, said dance co-chair Jacqueline Freeman, who is organizing the carnival with Kim Reohr.
"I think people are really excited about this," said Freeman. "It was a little bit too rushed to try to go to the dance from work. It got a little bit too crazy."
At the Liberty Hotel, neighbors come together for dining, dancing and dessert. But for those who haven't experienced the BHCA's annual party, the Liberty Hotel event is actually only part of the festivities. For many, the night begins at a neighbor's dinner party.
Hosts volunteer to hold a dinner party, and can choose their guests from ticketholders. Some hosts choose the same round of guests annually, while others select new friends, especially newcomers. "Some people say, 'I'd like to go to a dinner and I don't know anyone,' or they say 'I've been to the same party for five years.' Some say, 'I don't care, I can fill it with strangers,'" said Freeman.
Freeman thinks they'll be seeing more dinner parties than ever this winter, now that the event is being held on a Saturday. "I think that we've gotten a lot of people interested in hosting the dinner parties," she said. "Now people are saying, 'I can give a dinner party now.' We have almost as many as last year signed up already, but we'll take people up to the last minute. We don't have too many deadlines. We don't like to turn anyone away."
For those who choose the dinner option, its $300 a person, which includes a free lift via Planet Tran to the Liberty Hotel for the dancing portion of the evening. However, participants must find their own way back home.
Some just go to the Liberty. For $125, you get an hour of wine and beer with hors d'oeuvres, then dessert along with dancing in the ballroom with the Perry Rossi Orchestra. "Everyone shows up for the dancing," said Freeman. "The band is fantastic -- they play all night long."
Although Freeman predicts a great turnout, she has seen a few checks coming in that were a little less generous than last year. "I think everyone has the economy in the back of their mind," said Freeman. "Our biggest donors are still contributing, and the smaller donors are still participating. It's still high on their list. They want to support the Civic Association."
Added BCHA president John Achatz, "We seem to be right on target in both the number of contributors and the number of dollars tallied up. The economy has every nonprofit organization worried, but so far we don't see it having any effect on our appeal. Our supporters believe in what we do, and want us to have the capacity to keep doing it.
We're not running on a shoestring. We have some reserves if one year is worse than the other. But we've never really had a bad year, in my memory. We're pretty frugal."
Support for the dance will also come from Louisburg Gardens, who will do the centerpieces, and Infinity Portraits' Susan Symonds will take photos throughout the evening. "People are still helping us. They're donating great services, they're really participating, because it's a great neighborhood event," said Freeman.
On an even brighter side, Freeman added the turnout should be great because of the woeful times. "Come February, people will be saying, 'It's been a rough couple of months -- I'd like to have some fun.' They're going to get dressed up and have a good time. It may just be what the doctor ordered."

CAPTION: Chef "Smoky" Zugui of Hara Sushi holds a platter of Gramercy Park Roll.

The Japanese celebrate New Year’s on the same day as the West, but they don’t order Chinese food.
Celebrating the new year in Japan means paying special attention to the "first" time something is done in the new year. They often drive to the coast or climb a mountain so that they can see the first sunrise of the new year. They make their first trip of the year to a shrine or temple after midnight or the next day. They’ll have their first tea ceremony of the new year.
Haru Sushi’s assistant general manager Jay Yada recalled growing up in Hawaii with parents who respected Japanese traditions, waking him up early no matter how much he had imbibed the night before, to take him to the local temple to wake up the gods by ringing a bell, so they could say a prayer for a good year, their children’s education, or a family member’s improved health. There, he’d pick up a lucky token for his car or his career. “I used to enjoy doing that,” he said, adding that he hasn’t found anywhere locally to participate in the temple ritual. “My mom still sends me trinkets,” he said.
He also recalled that his family served a sort of Japanese tapas called osechiryori, where families share small portions of a roasted mochi soup, caviar marinated in sake, and other tidbits.
At Haru Sushi, the Japanese restaurant on Huntington Avenue that replaced Dick’s Last Resort a while ago, this modern Japanese restaurant chain is known for its ample portions and striking décor. This year, they’ll introduce a New Year’s Eve four-course prix fixe menu with sake or wine.
“We still get people who pop their heads in here, looking for Dick’s,” said general manager Mike Slavin. He’ll also get a few customers feeling a bit underdressed for the chic décor, but Slavin insists that it’s a casual restaurant for everyone. “We’re actually catering to anyone who comes in,” he said.



Gramercy Park Roll
Eight pieces

Japanese Short Grain Rice – they use Nomoto brand
Sushi rice vinegar
nori sheet
Crunchy tempura pieces – get tempura mix, and pour thin stream into a deep fryer, and fry until golden brown.
2 ounces superwhite escolar tuna
1 ounce tuna
1 ounce salmon
1 ounce yellow tail
fresh cilantro leaves
Lemon, rind removed and sliced thin enough so you can see through it
Yuzu tobiko – yellow flying-fish roe already infused with yuzu
pickled ginger slices
wasabi

Golden Passion sauce
Yuzu juice
white miso
sugar
ichimi red pepper powder
They didn’t have a recipe to give on this, but they said to just combine until you like how it tastes.

Spicy Mayo
Japanese mayonnaise (much eggier than American mayonnaise, and worth buying but not crucial)
Korean hot pepper sauce
Tabasco
Guinea pepper paste
Again, combine to your taste. Despite the three hot sauces, this shouldn’t be so hot as to burn your mouth.

Slavin said they brought in Chef “Smoky” Zugui from a New York City branch of Haru Sushi to “roll out” the Boston restaurant last year. For New Year’s Eve, he’ll feature a prix fixe menu of Japanese selections, including the introduction of this NYC a favorite, sort of a citrusy rainbow roll. “The cilantro adds a lot of flavor,” said Yada.
Although the restaurant chain likes to guard its recipes, they offered hints on how to recreate this lemony, crunchy roll at home.
Start with a fresh batch of sushi rice. While it’s still warm, sprinkle in sushi rice vinegar to taste. Haru makes a six-cup batch with five liters of sushi vinegar, although you may want to make one liter of cooked rice to a 1 1/3 cup of sushi vinegar.
First you make an outside maki roll. Spread the rice thinly onto a clean surface, shaped to the size of the nori sheet; and place nori on top.
Top with crunchy pieces of tempura, some spicy mayo, and two ounces of super-white escolar tuna. By the way, you should always get the freshest fish possible, and you can ask for as small a portion as you’d like. Ask your trusted butcher for a good fishmonger; you can try Whole Foods, too.
By hand, roll it firmly into a sausage shape.
Line with the tuna, salmon, and yellow tail. Place plastic wrap on top, then take a bamboo sushi mat and press firmly to form the sushi into a tighter roll. Remove wrap and mat.
Top with cilantro and lemon slices; dab with golden passion sauce, and sprinkle with tobiko.
Slice with a long, extra sharp knife, and serve immediately with slices of ginger and a dab of wasabi. No soy sauce is needed for dipping.
Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu! (Happy New Year!)

Out with the old, in with the new

It is a scary and sobering thought – how short a year in our lives can be – how fast it speeds by – how irretrievable time is.
Time is at once a great healer and the great devourer.
Time is as vast as the emptiness of outer space.
Above all, time flies (tempus fugit) and in such a way that no sooner has one year passed, another is upon us.
For mortals like us, time is finite, to a point of cruelty. In fact, our time on this earth is so brief, our presence doing what we do so short, that a year in a life can often pass with the speed of a bullet.
Such is the case with 2008.
No sooner had it begun and it is coming to an end.
Obviously, it was not a great year, as years go.
It was a volatile year. Our economic system’s ability to deliver has been called into question.
It was a year that began with an economic downturn that morphed into a worldwide recession of inestimable difficulty.
With the old year going out and the new year coming in, and with the world we live in a place where nearly all things yield to money, we are preoccupied with all things economic. We fret and we wonder, what will the New Year bring?
However, we would respectfully suggest that you treat New Year 2009 with a bit of savoir faire.
Instead of lamenting the condition of your bank account and worrying about the economy, believe that each day that dawns on you is your last. Tomorrow’s life is too late, so live today.
Thank God each time you put your feet to the floor after awakening in the morning.
As the old year prepares to pass and the new year is upon us, remember that there is no situation in life that is happy in every respect, just as there is too little time for us on this earth.
In the immortal words of the late great poet, W.H. Auden:

The years shall run like rabbits,
For in my arms I hold
The flowers of the Ages,
And the first love of the world.

But all the clocks in the city
Began to whirr and chime:
O let not Time deceive you,
You cannot conquer Time.

Being here is nearly all that matters. Atop of that, it is doing something that gives life meaning in order to close the circle.
With 2008 done for, we look ahead to 2009.
Out with the old.
In with the new.
Happy New Year.